On the Wings of Hope: Prose (Recognized)

Yet unfinished story of one spaceship

"Have you called for me, Coordinator?"

"Yes, Admiral, take a seat. Tea, coffee, ambrosia?"

"I would not refuse ambrosia... But, perhaps, somehow another time. Business is too urgent, as I understand?"

"And with no delays possible. The rates in this adventure of yours became too high."

"Mister Coordinator, I understand everything, but after all, we ourselves have started this experiment together to..."

"I have transferred this ship along with crew under your responsibility, Admiral, under your full responsibility – do you remember? You have promised me that everything will be as smooth as possible."

"Their free will, which you have granted to them, has appeared to be much more unreasonable than we assumed initially..."

"You selected best ones, Admiral. Three planets in different sectors of the Galaxy for three new races. You have tried to discover pearls on these planets-prisons, Admiral, – and where are your best crew now? Sleeping peacefully in cryogenic capsules onboard of this spaceship which has almost strayed away from a trajectory?"

"After the first Collision part of them have awakened, after all."

"I'll let you know, Admiral, that after this very first Collision the communication system of the ship has been almost destroyed. Even the woken up crew are practically unable to perform two-way communication. We receive all their reports, while they hardly receive one-two percent of ours. Multiply this by two-three percent of those awakened. According to our calculations the probability that they will manage to correct a course of their vessel on coordinates, which we are trying to transfer to them, and avoid collision with the second Ring, is..."

"I perfectly know this, mister Coordinator. I know it all. A current number of woken up crewmen of the space vessel does not allow us to rely on the successful ship-handling in a manual mode. And the auto-navigation system has already been destroyed two thousand parsecs ago."

"What's with other crew? How successful were manual attempts to shutdown cryogenic systems?"

"Completely unsuccessful. After Collision electronics of ship's systems have been seriously damaged. With the manual shutdown, the sleepers either die within several seconds, hardly able to realize what is happening with them, or get considerable spiritual-chemical damage."

"What sort of damage?"

"It's symptoms are the uncontrollable flashes of aggression to all things living. They literally clawed with teeth those, who have awoken them."

"And so we have the following: manual unfreezing doesn't function properly, and there are not enough awakened crew with required talents and skills onboard in order to activate automated systems. A vicious circle. And the second Ring is just ahead in the current course. And ship acceleration has been increasing all the time, making new maneuvers more and more difficult."

"Everything is correct, mister Coordinator."

"What protection measures have been taken in case this vessel will not pass it?"

"We have activated closely located orbital modules. Have moved rescue fleet from the adjacent sector."

"How many crewmen can survive Ring Collision, Admiral?"

"All sleeping ones will surely die. And considering those awakened... very few, mister Coordinator. Very few. Collision will break vessel's hull for more than forty percent. The spaceship will be lost forever in any case."

"Is there is still a possibility to achieve hyperlight molecular jumping, when the vessel will be traveling through V sector, taking his current speed into account? Being on board, you could help those awakened crew change ship's course."

"The chance is small, but... but I am personally ready to try to rectify own mistake. With own blood, if it's possible to say so."

"You know the consequences, Admiral. When molecular reassemblage in a process of jumping is performed, your memory will be erased. Its restoration will require subsequently huge efforts afterward."

"I know, Coordinator. No one is capable to perform this transition except you and me, anyway. It still gives a little spark of hope."

"For all of us. For even, we are compelled to pay for errors of own children. Even we, Admiral. And may the miracle help them all."

"Just before I leave you now, Coordinator, possibly forever, I nevertheless would like to ask – how is this vessel called? I mean, how do humanoids, inhabiting it, call their home? We have our own name for it, but nevertheless..."

"Admiral, don't make me believe that you have already passed the process of molecular reassemblage directly before my eyes. You perfectly know how they call it," and Coordinator smiled sadly, "that they call it "The Earth".

16.07.2010